SCENARIO · 60 SECONDS
What a 60-second AI video really costs
| Model | 1 min (raw) | 1 min (×1.5 retakes) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vidu 2.0Shengshu | $2.40 | $3.60 | — |
| Veo 3.1 LiteGoogle | $3.00 | $4.50 | Yes |
| Gen-4 TurboRunway | $3.00 | $4.50 | — |
| Wan 2.6Alibaba | $3.00 | $4.50 | — |
| Sora 2OpenAI | $6.00 | $9.00 | Yes |
| Kling 3.0Kuaishou | $6.00 | $9.00 | — |
| Seedance 2.0ByteDance | $8.40 | $12.60 | — |
| Veo 3.1 FastGoogle | $9.00 | $13.50 | Yes |
| Gen-4.5Runway | $15.00 | $22.50 | — |
| Sora 2 ProOpenAI | $18.00 | $27.00 | Yes |
| Veo 3.1Google | $24.00 | $36.00 | Yes |
Rates shown at each model's base tier, verified July 2026 from official vendor pricing pages and documentation. Vendors change prices without notice — see methodology.
The realistic range: $3.60 to $45
Sixty seconds of AI video costs anywhere from $3.60 on Vidu to $45.00 on Sora 2 Pro at 1024p once you include a conservative ×1.5 retake buffer. The spread is more than tenfold, which is why "how much does an AI video cost" has no single answer — it has a model answer.
Why nobody generates 60 seconds in one go
Most models cap a single generation at 8–12 seconds (Kling being the exception), so a one-minute video is really 6–10 stitched clips. That changes the math in your favor: you only re-generate the shots that fail, not the whole minute. A practical mixed-model approach:
- B-roll and transitions on a budget tier (~$0.05/s): 40 seconds ≈ $2.00 raw
- Two hero shots on a premium tier (~$0.40/s): 16 seconds ≈ $6.40 raw
- Voiceover generated separately instead of paying premium per-second audio rates
- Total with ×2 retakes on hero shots and ×1.5 on B-roll: ≈ $16 — half the single-model premium price at nearly the same perceived quality.
When one minute is worth $45
Client work, ads, and anything with on-screen dialogue. Lip-sync failures are the most expensive kind of retake because viewers spot them instantly — paying Veo 3.1 Standard rates for talking-head shots usually beats burning five cheap attempts.
Run your own numbers. The cost calculator applies your clip length, resolution and a realistic retake buffer across every model at once.